Alpha Beta
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The alphabet's worldwide diffusion can be compared to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, John Man proposes in his narrative search for "Alphabeticus Originalis."
Sweeping from one ancient culture to another, Man unearths archaeological finds, debates biblical myths and provides scientific evidence to support his theory of the alphabet's germination and development.
Using a highly accessible format sharper than the dull edge of the usual historical text, "Alpha Beta" traces its subject on a historical journey around the Mediterranean. Beginning with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and cuneiform, Man, a historian and travel writer, follows the evolution of letters from one great civilization to another.
Paying his respects to the early development of script in China and an especially practical Korean alphabet, Man drives into Sinai in his four-wheel drive to begin his study of the Israelites.
"What emerges in the Sinai wilderness--or the metaphorical wilderness--is a blueprint for group survival unprecedented in history."
The blueprint, Man explains, was based on monotheism and fixed commandments. And it worked because the laws were written in a simple script that did not require excessive knowledge: an alphabet.
In the Phoenicians, Man finds another people to support his hypothesis.
"These port peoples needed a good writing system if only to keep trade records. ... They were ripe for the alphabet, knowledge of which was slowly filtering outwards from its southern Palestine dispersal centre."
Similarly, the alphabet arrived in Greece "and attached itself to a society at a crucial stage in its evolution--a youngish culture ... with no apparentloyalty to an established writing system."
Quickly moving along the Mediterranean, a "land that must have seemed ripe for the plucking" is encountered. But before discussing the true founders of Rome, Man devotes several pages to the outrageous exploits of Thomas Dempster, a forgotten 17th-century Etruscan scholar and "hooligan."
While some of the details about Dempster are amusing, they provide one of several examples of extraneous material in an otherwise concise and effective approach to such an overwhelming idea.
Moving on to the Etruscan alphabet, Man picks up the pace and explains the possibility of a Phoenician or Greek influence. While many mysteries remain about the Etruscans' origins and their alphabet, their influence on a much better-known people and alphabet is hard to ignore.
Debunking the popular myth of Romulus as Rome's founder, Man points to archaeological research for "an account of Rome's origins that dignifies not the Romans but the Etruscans."
After tracing the expansion of the Roman language, Man reaches his limit with the introduction of Cyrillic and travels at breakneck speed to the present. From one chapter to the next, he goes from the Etruscans to the Soviets.
"Alpha Beta" should appeal to anyone with even a mild interest in ancient civilization and an affinity for language.
(Associated Press, BOOKS September 10, 2001)
"Using a highly accessible format sharper than the dull edge of the usually historical text, Alpha Beta traces its subject on a historical journey around the Mediterranean. Beginning with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and cuneiform, Man, a historian and travel writer, follows the evolution of lettersfrom one great civilization to another.Alpha Beta should appeal to anyone with even a mild interest in ancient civilization and an affinity with language."(Associated Press)
Sweeping from one ancient culture to another, Man unearths archaeological finds, debates biblical myths and provides scientific evidence to support his theory of the alphabet's germination and development.
Using a highly accessible format sharper than the dull edge of the usual historical text, "Alpha Beta" traces its subject on a historical journey around the Mediterranean. Beginning with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and cuneiform, Man, a historian and travel writer, follows the evolution of letters from one great civilization to another.
Paying his respects to the early development of script in China and an especially practical Korean alphabet, Man drives into Sinai in his four-wheel drive to begin his study of the Israelites.
"What emerges in the Sinai wilderness--or the metaphorical wilderness--is a blueprint for group survival unprecedented in history."
The blueprint, Man explains, was based on monotheism and fixed commandments. And it worked because the laws were written in a simple script that did not require excessive knowledge: an alphabet.
In the Phoenicians, Man finds another people to support his hypothesis.
"These port peoples needed a good writing system if only to keep trade records. ... They were ripe for the alphabet, knowledge of which was slowly filtering outwards from its southern Palestine dispersal centre."
Similarly, the alphabet arrived in Greece "and attached itself to a society at a crucial stage in its evolution--a youngish culture ... with no apparentloyalty to an established writing system."
Quickly moving along the Mediterranean, a "land that must have seemed ripe for the plucking" is encountered. But before discussing the true founders of Rome, Man devotes several pages to the outrageous exploits of Thomas Dempster, a forgotten 17th-century Etruscan scholar and "hooligan."
While some of the details about Dempster are amusing, they provide one of several examples of extraneous material in an otherwise concise and effective approach to such an overwhelming idea.
Moving on to the Etruscan alphabet, Man picks up the pace and explains the possibility of a Phoenician or Greek influence. While many mysteries remain about the Etruscans' origins and their alphabet, their influence on a much better-known people and alphabet is hard to ignore.
Debunking the popular myth of Romulus as Rome's founder, Man points to archaeological research for "an account of Rome's origins that dignifies not the Romans but the Etruscans."
After tracing the expansion of the Roman language, Man reaches his limit with the introduction of Cyrillic and travels at breakneck speed to the present. From one chapter to the next, he goes from the Etruscans to the Soviets.
"Alpha Beta" should appeal to anyone with even a mild interest in ancient civilization and an affinity for language.
(Associated Press, BOOKS September 10, 2001)
"Using a highly accessible format sharper than the dull edge of the usually historical text, Alpha Beta traces its subject on a historical journey around the Mediterranean. Beginning with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and cuneiform, Man, a historian and travel writer, follows the evolution of lettersfrom one great civilization to another.Alpha Beta should appeal to anyone with even a mild interest in ancient civilization and an affinity with language."(Associated Press)
Sunday Telegraph
'absorbing tale.. many surprises on the way'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is very much about the evolution of the Latin alphabet, and more or less stops after the Romans had finished its development in 200 BC or so. We get a quick tour of the history of the Cyrillic alphabet and its spread into non-Russian cultures, but next to nothing on how the Latin alphabet has been used in non-European countries. For example, the author tells us nothing about how Turkey changed from Arabic to Latin script in the 1920's, which has to be a tale worth telling. In an early section about how well different languages match spelling to sounds, he says that "Russsian isn't bad, because they had the benefit of a revolution", but fails to elaborate on that statement, either there or in the later chapter about Cyrillic.
Making this a book about the evolution of the Latin alphabet makes for a more straightforward story, but it left me wanting to know more about all the other alphabets out there, and how they ended up being so different from each other, despite sharing a common ancestry: alphabetic writing was only invented *once* and everyone else either copied their neighbour's alphabet or copied the idea of an alphabet from them.
Despite all of the above quibbles I did enjoy this book. The evolution of our alphabet is a fascinating story and John Man tells it well, but it is very much the story of *our* alphabet.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The book attempts to provide a history of the development of the western alphabet. Along the way it touches on many interesting and thought provoking side issues to do with the history of western civilisation and language. Written in a clear and light style the book is perfect for those of us not already familiar with this sector of history. A great read, and will probably keep you armed with interesting facts to fill any of those 'conversational gaps' which might strike in the coming year.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a hard read but I was warned before purchasing so will persevere! There is good content but it is sometimes difficult to chew through the pages! To be fair the author also warns you that he's good at getting side-tracked and you get used to it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Alpha Beta
I am very happy with this book, it is very interesting and will be very helpful in the colation of my talk which I am giving to our U3A next year.
Published 16 months ago by Mrs. Rita D. Fidler
interesting stuff
i really enjoyed this book. it was easily digestible and full of interesting facts on the origins of language, the alphabet and history. Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2010 by jamesr0012
A romp through alphabet history
The book begins well but becomes uneven as it progresses until it becomes downright superficial (when it introduces Cyrillic script). Read more
Published on 12 Sep 2009 by Aldo Matteucci
An Unconventional and Stimulating Look at Expressing Ideas
If you are like me, this book will surprise you. I expected something like 26 chapters with each saying something about each letter of the alphabet and its origin. Read more
Published on 8 May 2004 by Donald Mitchell
There must be something better than this
This book is a big disappointment. It reads like it was dictated with not much editing, in a racy, straight from the hip, style. Read more
Published on 20 July 2002
Waste of time and money.
This isn't a book for someone who wants straightforward facts about the origin and development of the alphabet. John Man has somehow integrated his own biography in the book. Read more
Published on 12 Feb 2002 by M. Alsaeed
readable account of origin and development of alphabet
'Alpha Beta' is one of the best books I have read this year. It is very readable and well-researched, tracing the story of how the alphabet developed from its earliest origins as... Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2001 by knotrune
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